Author: Andres-Papazian

US-ARMENIA IT COOPERATION TRANSFORMING ARMENIA – JOHN HEFFERN

news.am
December 10, 2012 | 14:23

U.S. Ambassador to Armenia John Heffern is on a visit to the United
States for meetings with representatives of the Armenian-American
Diaspora community.

After five days spent in Los Angeles, Heffern left for San Francisco to
attend ArmTech Congress 2012, annual high-tech industry business forum.

“Very useful 5 days in LA. Listened and learned a lot. Off to SF
for ArmTech now. US-Armenia IT cooperation is transforming Armenia,”
he tweeted.

ArmTech will be also attended by the Armenian delegation headed by
Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan.

From: A. Papazian

DEPUTY SPEAKER OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY MEETS WITH THE DIRECTOR OF THE GIZ ARMENIA OFFICE

10.12.2012

The Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly Eduard Sharmazanov met
with the Director of the German Society for International Cooperation
(GIZ) Armenia Office Dagmar Bott.

Eduard Sharmazanov highly assessed the cooperation with one of the most
important members of the European Union, Germany, in different spheres,
and one of the significant manifestations was the Armenian-German
Forum on Transparency of the Administration to be held in the National
Assembly. In this context the Deputy Speaker also highlighted the
activity of the German Society for International Cooperation in
Armenia, its support in the spheres of the local self-government,
the administration of the public finances, the implementation of the
reforms in the sphere of justice. He noted that Armenia had expressed
readiness of raising the level of the transparency of administration
and had taken considerable steps in this direction, though many things
are still to be done. According to Eduard Sharmazanov, the society and
the authorities of Armenia, being well aware of the guiding role of
the democracy development, are ready to make continuous the programme
being implemented in this direction.

“Armenia highlights very much administration transparency in the
democratic development and effective administration of the country, as
there is no efficiency without transparency, and there is no progress
without efficiency,” Eduard Sharmazanov said. The NA Deputy Speaker
stated with satisfaction that as a result of effective cooperation,
the EU, according to the approach, “More for More,” besides the main
sum envisaged for Armenia, will additionally invest 15mln euros.

The Director of the German Society for International Cooperation
(GIZ) Armenian Office Dagmar Bott thanked the Deputy Speaker for
giving opportunity of holding the Forum in the Session Hall of
the RA National Assembly, characterizing that faction as a unique
manifestation of transparency. She emphasized the Forum in terms of
the concerned sides’ approaches, exchange of experience and knowledge
and recording of reforms and challenges being implemented in Armenia,
evaluating the effective and transparent administration as the most
important precondition of the international development.

Both sides expressed conviction that the cooperation in the sphere
of administration would be continuous, and the results would be more
and more visible.

From: A. Papazian

WITH AN INEXPERIENCED HAND

DECEMBER 8, 2012 13:07

Long ago, in 1992-94, I was the press secretary of the President of
the Republic of Armenia and participated in a series of official
meetings. I want to share my modest experience with readers and
my young colleagues. When European, American, Russian or Iranian
officials and weighty politicians meet with their colleagues from
other countries, they comply with certain rules of etiquette,
regardless of whether that country is big or small, influential or
having no impact on anything. Non-interference in the internal affairs
of another country is one of those rules. Thus, it is ruled out that
Alejo Vidal-Quadras Roca, a vice-president of the European Parliament,
would have told Gagik Tsarukyan that he could be a brilliant candidate
for the upcoming presidential election, as the Prosperous Armenia
Party (PAP) states in the first version, December 5, of its press
release. A figure of that level cannot and doesn’t have the right to
say such a thing about any politician in Armenia, the President of the
Republic of Armenia, in the first place. If, nonetheless, Mr. Roca had
forgotten about all the rules of diplomatic etiquette (let’s imagine
such a fantastic thing) and had stated this kind of thing, I am sure
that both Gagik Tsarukyan and any other serious politician in Armenia
would have responded to that: “Excuse me, honorable Alejo, but let
citizens of Armenia decide how brilliant I am as a candidate. I don’t
assess your chances to become, say, the Prime Minister of Spain, do
I?” I think it is as improbable that Mr. Tsarukyan would complain to a
foreign official that it was impossible to struggle against corruption
in the country, if the main corrupted persons directed that struggle,
as it is written in the same version of the statement. That idea is
doubtless in itself, and I have written about that many times. But it
is one thing when I, as a private individual, write about it in an
Armenia newspaper, and it is another matter when the leader of the
second biggest party in the country says that during international
talks. If they are corrupted, raise the issue of their dismissal
in the parliament, how can a European functionary help? Therefore,
probably, those who wrote the press release mixed something up again.

And I think the reason for that is not malevolence, but just lack
of experience.

“According to reliable sources, during one of the meetings in Brussels,
high-ranking European officials said during a conversation with
Gagik Tsarukyan that the cooperation between the Armenian National
Congress and the Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP), as well as between
Gagik Tsarukyan and Levon Ter-Petrossian, made them think that this
coalition was really unbeatable. Moreover, Europeans very clearly
showed that in this case, they will

support the party enjoying the people’s trust as much as possible.”

This appeared on Armenian websites. This is not a press-release, but,
basically, PR managed with the same inexperienced hand. Actually,
that disinformation is equally harmful for Tsarukyan, Ter-Petrossian
and European officials.

ARAM ABRAHAMYAN

From: A. Papazian

BE CAREFUL AND THINK TWICE BEFORE GIVING THE CLOTHES TO DRY-CLEANING

Factinfo
Mon, 12/10/2012 – 12:14

Very often the citizens of our country are not careful when signing
contracts before using some services. They sign contracts without or
briefly reading them and afterwards get surprised when they appear
in the position of a victim.

The person who submitted a complaint to the Market Surveillance State
Inspectorate of the RA Ministry of Economy said that the size of the
female coat with the cost USD 5000 that was sent to dry-cleaning in
‘Selena’ LLC reduced. As a result of examination it was revealed
that the appearance of possible defects was indicated in the contract
signed between the citizen and the LLC. The applicant was suggested
to solve the matter by referring to the court.

However, there were cases when appearing in the position of a victim
was not connected with briefly or not reading the contract before
signing it. A while after the above-mentioned case, another citizen
that had submitted a complaint to the Inspectorate informed about a
poor quality service of the ‘New-Shahab’ dry-cleaning center by the
address G. Lusavorich, as a result of which the trousers with the
cost of AMD 65 thousand were damaged. The applicant was suggested to
solve the matter by referring to the court.

Let us note that in this case no warning of the possible damages of
the clothes was mentioned in the contract and could not be mentioned,
because in that case hardly anyone would agree to send their clothes
to dry-cleaning.

Thus, the mentioned Inspectorate neither denied the fact indicated
in the complaint nor protected the applicant’s interests, but only
suggested referring to the court.

A similar complaint was received by the Market Surveillance State
Inspectorate on May 31 of the current year. The author of the complaint
informed about the poor quality dry-cleaning provided by the ‘Elita’
dry-cleaning and laundry center by the address G. Chaush 50, 15th
district, Yerevan city. The applicant was once again suggested to
solve the matter by referring to the court, since the complaint does
not fall within the jurisdiction of the Inspectorate.

Artur Hovhannisyan Õ~@Õ¥Õ²Õ”Õ¶Õ¡Õ¯:

From: A. Papazian

HOW WILL CLINTON DEFEND ARMENIA?
Naira Hayrumyan

Story from Lragir.am News:

11:22 10/12/2012

Last week, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton warned that the
American government intends to thwart the formation of the new Soviet
Union. What is the U.S. going to do? What is it ready to do to prevent
the integration of post-Soviet countries around Russia?

The main method is the fortification of the Euro integration
of Armenia, Georgia and Moldova. However, since it is related to
bureaucratic and other difficulties, the U.S. is apparently going to
take up more effective economic measures. In this relation, we should
expect Western “investment expansion” in Armenia.

We can already see some signs: the U.S. ambassador left for his
homeland to attract investments of Diaspora Armenians to Armenia.

Premier Tigran Sargsyan is currently in the U.S. trying to boost the
creation of the Silicon Valley in Armenia and calls on the U.S.-based
Armenian scientists to “boost the development of science in Armenia”.

While the ambassador and the Prime Minister are working in the U.S.,
a number of U.S. companies doing business in Armenia, urged the
Obama administration through letters to the U.S. Embassy to take
concrete actions to prioritize the growth of the Armenian-American
economic relations through the negotiation of the bilateral Trade
and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA).

The Armenian National Committee of America responded stating that
these companies provide jobs to thousands people in Armenia and in the
world. Among those, who joined the appeal of the “Microsoft”, “FedEx”
and “NASDAQ” companies, are also: “Marriott”, “Ameria Banking Group”,
“Prudence Legal Advisory and Counseling”, “Grant Thornton”, “Baker
Tilley Armenia”, “Synergy”, “Tufenkian Heritage Hotels”, “Altacode”,
“Leda Campus LLC”, “Levon Travel”, “Unicomp”, “Synopsys”, “Megerian
Carpet”, “National Instruments”, “Mentor Graphics”, “First Mortgage”,
“Geoteam”, “Hylink”, “LC Distribution” and “Linkgard Systems”.

The letter runs that the government of Armenia has been supporting
the Trade and Investment Framework Agreement with the U.S., as well
as the necessary Agreement on the Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement,
Social Protection Agreement and finally Free Trade Agreement for long.

It is not ruled out that the U.S. and Armenia will sign the Free
Trade and Double Taxation Avoidance Agreements, which will become
a good economic stimulus for Armenia to refuse integration into the
Customs Union.

Actually, the U.S. deprives Russia of the “carrot” with the help of
which it tempts the post-Soviet countries offering a large market
and preferences. The U.S. leaves Russia with the only option of the
“stick”. The fact that Russia will try to use the “stick” causes no
doubt. And the U.S., along with such important economic “carrots”, will
have to offer guarantees that it won’t allow Russia to use the “stick”.

From: A. Papazian

TIGRAN SARGSYAN’S VISIT TO THE U.S. LAUNCHED

10:16, 10 December, 2012

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 10, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of the Republic
of Armenia Tigran Sargsyan’s business trip to the United States of
America kicked off on December 8.

The Department of Information and Public Relations of the Government
of the Republic of Armenia informed “Armenpress” that the Head of the
Government visited California Institute of Technology on the first day
of the business trip. Tigran Sargsyan had a meeting with the President
of California Institute of Technology Jean-Lou Chameau. At the coarse
of the meeting the Prime Minister introduced current reforms in the
sphere of education of the Republic of Armenia, which are aimed to the
improvement of the quality of education, and procedure of international
certification of the Armenian Higher Educational Institutions. Tigran
Sargsyan and Jean-Lou Chameau discussed the prospects of reciprocal
cooperation, as well as the development of IT sphere in Armenia.

Member of the House of Representatives of the U.S. Adam Schiff also
partook in the meeting. Adam Schiff expressed his opinion regarding
the topic of discussion and said that Armenia has enough resources
to become the Silicon Valley of Caucasus.

Afterwards, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia had a
meeting with the Armenian alumni, students and Armenian scientists
living in the United States. In frames of the meeting the head of the
Government answered on a plenary of questions, which interested the
students and participants of the meeting. The Prime Minister referred
to the issues regarding current situation in the sphere of natural and
exact sciences and the prospects of development of the abovementioned
realms. A number of question regarding armenology, astronomy, physics
and mathematics, as well as pegagoics have been under discussion.

Tigran Sargsyan expressed his gratitude to the participants and stated
that they should strengthen ties with the motherland supporting the
development of the Armenian science.

Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia Tigran Sargsyan’s business
trip to the United States of America will last until December 12.

From: A. Papazian

Israel to use drones in Azerbaijan for possible Iran strike – the Sunday Times.

12:58 – 03.12.12

Israel plans to use unmanned drones it deployed in Azerbaijan to
preemptively strike Iranian missile sites in the event of a war, the
Xinhua news agency reported citing the Sunday Times.

The report comes amid mounting speculations that Israel may launch a
military strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities next year, in which case
the latter would retaliate by firing Shahab-3 and other long-range
missiles at the Jewish state, while Lebanese militia Hezbollah and
Gaza militants would follow suit.

Ahead of a possible strike, Heron drones armed with Hellfire missiles
would take out the missiles before they leave the ground, the paper
said.

According to the report, the Nevatim airbase in Israel’s Negev desert
houses a US-made X-band radar capable of detecting Iranian missiles
loaded on launching pads 1,000 miles to the northeast, giving the
Israelis 13 minutes’ early warning.

“We’ll try to ‘kill’ them at the booster stage, the moment their
engines are ignited,” the newspaper quoted “a well-informed” Israeli
military source as saying.

“If that happens, and it isn’t as easy as it sounds, then the
remaining missiles will be finished off by our Air Defense Command,”
the source said.

Israel denies having armed UAVs, known in the US military as Predator
or hunter-killer drones, but independent experts say it has used such
hardware on numerous occasions, including to strike targets far beyond
its borders, such as arms convoys bound for the Gaza Strip.

Several reports over the past year have suggested that Azerbaijan,
located beside the Caspian Sea and bordering Iran from the north, is
slated to play a pivotal role in an Israeli airstrike on Tehran’s
nuclear program — whether as a safe haven from which Israeli jets
could take off and land for refueling, or for ground operations to
rescue downed pilots and drone strikes.

Both Israeli and Azeri officials have dismissed the reports.

The Heron TP II drone, delivered to the Israel Air Force in February
2010 and reportedly slated to attack the Iranian missiles, is a
fourth-generation, all-weather craft with a cruising altitude of
14,000 meters.

With a wingspan of 26 meters, the size of a Boeing 737, it can carry
nearly 5 tons of payload and remain aloft for 36 hours. Its range is
classified, but Israel Aerospace Industries, which developed the
craft, has previously said its linkup to satellite communication
enables it to fly great distances and reach any country in the region.

From: A. Papazian

NZ Week, New Zealand
Dec 10 2012

U.S., Russia, France call for `decisive steps’ to settle
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict

Souce:Xinhua Publish By Thomas Whittle

WASHINGTON, Dec. 7 – Senior officials of the United States, Russia and
France on Friday urged Azerbaijan and Armenia to take `decisive steps’
to settle their conflict over Nagorno- Karabakh.

The fresh appeal came from U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton,
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and France’s Minister Delegate
for European Affairs Bernard Cazeneuve, as they attended a ministerial
meeting of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe
(OSCE) in Dublin, Ireland to discuss proposals to strengthen the
group’s capacity to promote comprehensive security in Eurasia.

`We again urge the parties to take decisive steps to reach a peaceful
settlement,’ the trio said in a joint statement, whose countries
co-chair the Minsk Group of the OSCE which has been mediating the
conflict.

They alleged that the parties have `too often’ sought one-sided
advantage in the negotiation process, rather than seeking to find
agreement based upon mutual understanding.

`While recognizing the decrease in serious incidents along the Line of
Contact and the border in recent months, we remind the parties of the
need to continue to respect the ceasefire of 1994, and that the use of
military force will not resolve the conflict,’ they cautioned. `We
urge the parties to refrain from actions and statements that foster
feelings of enmity among their populations and have raised tensions in
recent months.’

Nagorno-Karabakh lies within Azerbaijan but has been controlled by
Armenian troops and ethnic forces since a separatist war broke out in
1988. The two South Caucasus countries signed a cease-fire agreement
in 1994 but skirmishes break out time and again despite repeated
mediation by the OSCE Minsk Group.

`We call upon the parties to demonstrate a greater sense of urgency in
the peace process and to work with the co-chairs to give full and
careful consideration to ideas presented by the co- chairs during
their trip to the region in November,’ the three ministers said.

They welcomed the readiness of the foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and
Armenia to meet jointly with the co-chairs early in 2013 to continue
discussions over the conflict.

`Our countries continue to stand ready to do whatever we can to assist
the parties, but the responsibility for putting an end to the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict remains with them,’ they added.

From: A. Papazian

6th Annual ANCA-ER Banquet Held in NJ

December 7, 2012

WATERTOWN, Mass. – More than 300 gathered for an evening of celebration,
recognition, and reflection at the Armenian National Committee of
America Eastern Region’s (ANCA-ER) 6th Annual Banquet, where Armenian
studies luminary Dr. Richard Hovannisian and Artsakh (Karabagh) rights
champion, her Ladyship Baroness Caroline Cox, were bestowed the
organization’s highest honors.

After successful events held annually in New York, Rhode Island, and
Massachusetts, New Jersey was the site of the Dec. 1 banquet, with the
festivities held at the beautiful Sheraton Crossroads in Mahwah.

A scene from the ANCA-ER Banquet (L-R) ANCA Executive Director Aram
Hamparian, mistress of ceremonies Nora Kzirian, ARF Bureau member
Hagop Der Khatchadourian, Very Reverend Father Tomas Garabedian,
Armenian Ambassador to the United Nations Garen Nazarian, His Eminence
Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan, ANCA-ER Freedom Award honoree Baroness
Caroline Cox, ANCA-ER Vahan Cardashian Award honoree Dr. Richard
Hovannisian, Virginia Davies, ANCA Chairman Ken Hachikian, and NAASR
Academic Director Marc Mamigonian. (Photo by Diran Jebejian of
Jebejian Images)

Pallone praises youth outreach, education efforts

Among the special guests was New Jersey Congressman Frank Pallone (D),
who praised the grassroots efforts of the ANCA and paid tribute to Dr.
Hovannisian and Baroness Cox with Community Service Awards. `One of
the best things about the ANCA is the different programs they have and
how they educate and get young people involved,’ said Pallone. `As the
founder and co-chair of the Armenian Caucus in the House [of
Representatives] for so many years, I will tell you that without the
ANCA, grassroots activities of the Armenian community would really be
very minimal.’

Hovannisian: titan of Armenian scholarship

Marc Mamigonian, director of academic affairs at the National
Association of Armenian Studies (NAASR), gave a moving introduction
about Hovannisian, the Vahan Cardashian Award recipient.

Hovannisian, he said `is among the first generation of scholars who
shaped the field that was in its infancy when he began teaching at
UCLA a half century ago. In 1969, he became the first professor of
modern Armenian studies in the United States. … You may have heard
that Professor Hovannisian is retired. Friends, don’t believe him,’
Mamigonian joked.

Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-chair Frank Pallone (D-N.J.) with
ANCA-ER Vahan Cardashian Award honoree Dr. Richard Hovannisian and
ANCA-ER Freedom Award honoree Baroness Caroline Cox. (Photo by Diran
Jebejian of Jebejian Images)

Hovannisian is a professor of Armenian and Near Eastern studies at
UCLA. He has authored many books and edited and contributed to at
least a dozen other works. In 1987, he was appointed the first holder
of the Armenian Educational Foundation Endowed Chair in Modern
Armenian History at UCLA.

`I’m deeply honored and thankful to the ANCA for considering me worthy
of receiving this award. Vahan Cardashian remains a champion and a
symbol for the Armenian people. I feel very satisfied after my long
career, and I feel rewarded that I’ve had more than a half century of
wonderful experiences in the classroom teaching generations regarding
Armenian history and identity,’ Hovannisian said.

Cox: matron saint of Artsakh quest for freedom

Virginia Davies, a longtime friend and supporter of the ANCA,
introduced Baroness Cox before presenting her with the ANCA Freedom
Award.

`Karabagh has known no more committed and no more constant friend than
Baroness Cox. From a position of great influence in the British House
of Lords, Baroness Cox has spent 25 years educating, advocating, and
leading humanitarian efforts on the ground in Karabagh,’ said Davies.

Cox came to the podium to a standing ovation, like Hovannisian, and
warmly greeted those in attendance. She presented a brief slideshow,
showing photos from her travels to Karabagh and offering inspiring
thoughts for the future.

`Speaking in the British Parliament is a place to give voice to the
voiceless, to speak for those who can’t speak for themselves. … I
would like to say thank you to the Armenian people, who in that holy
land of Artsakh have formed that front line of faith and freedom for
the rest of the world. We who live in freedom, we who call ourselves
Christian, owe you a debt of gratitude for holding that front line for
us. With all my heart, I thank you,’ the Baroness said.

Cox has visited Armenia and Nagorno- Karabagh 78 times to date, many
of them during the war with Azerbaijan in the early 1990’s, and is
planning on at least two more visits in 2013. Working with the
Humanitarian Aid Relief Trust (HART), she helped establish the Lady
Cox Rehabilitation Center in Stepanakert in 1998, which has become a
leader in providing care and rehabilitation for those with physical or
mental disabilities. It looks after babies, children, and adults who
have been disabled from birth, as well as patients suffering from war
injuries, accidents, and illnesses such as strokes.

HART is internationally recognized as a `center of excellence,’
disseminating its wide-ranging therapeutic repertoire far beyond
Karabagh to other countries throughout the South Caucasus.

Baroness Cox was awarded the ANCA Freedom Award for her undying
support of the Armenian people and for her dedication to human rights
for all. She has traveled to many other countries, particularly those
affected by severe human rights violations, to provide aid to those in
need.

As part of her trip to the U.S., Cox was accompanied by ANCA Eastern
Region Executive Director Michelle Hagopian, HART-US Executive
Director Donna Mundy, ANC of United Kingdom member Vahan Krikorian,
and ANCA Eastern Region Board Member Ani Tchaghlasian, at a series of
meetings with human rights groups including Human Rights Watch and
Human Rights Foundation.

Spotlight on power of grassroots advocacy

A consistent theme in the remarks offered throughout the evening was
the expansion of the ANCA’s dedicated network of grassroots supporter
throughout the Eastern United States.

ANCA ER Banquet Committee Co-chairperson Karine Shnorhokian was
eloquent in her welcoming message, thanking her fellow banquet
committee volunteers and the collective efforts of all present to
ensure not only the success of the banquet, but of the broader goals
of the organization.

`Together, we have raised hundreds of thousands of dollars and our
success could not happen without each and every one of you. … As the
list of Freedom and Vahan Cardashian Award winners grows, those in
this room tonight are witness to a special moment in history,’ she
said.

Speaking on behalf of the ANCA-ER, George Aghjayan discussed the
importance of Hai Tahd and the ANCA’s work to rally the youth in
support of our common cause.

`As we work on these things over the years, any cause like ours, which
is so strongly activist-based, is going to take risks and have
successes and failures over the years. We accept those failures and
embrace the successes. … You’re going to see how many young people are
involved in our cause and embrace the cause. This is something we’ve
done exceptionally well,’ Aghjayan commented.

ARF Eastern Region Central Committee Chairman Dr. Ara Chalian
addressed the crowd, saying, `I’m excited with the work the ANCA does
every day and what will come in the future. This is a grassroots
organization. It’s everyone in the room; it’s those who have lifted
their phones, asked questions, educated, hit the button on the
computer. This is a celebration of a year’s work and a lifetime of
work. Now, we can go out and engage others in this work.’

In his concluding remarks, ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian
offered many thanks to supporters. `Ours is an ethic of quiet service.
Ours is a tradition of humble sacrifice. We’re not supposed to say
thank you because we’re all doing our duty, our responsibility to our
cause and our community. I think each of you in this room holds a
special love and respect for everyone else here because you are
brothers and sisters in common cause. We’re soldiers and that binds us
very close together, and that’s a great treasure,’ he commented.

Mistress of ceremonies Nora Kzirian navigated the evening with skill
and eloquence, inviting Alyne Corrigan to sing the American and
Armenian national anthems, followed by a moving invocation by
Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan, Prelate of the Eastern Prelacy of the
Armenian Apostolic Church of America.

`We commend this organization’s dedication to truth and justice for
the Armenian nation and for all peoples of the world,’ said Archbishop
Choloyan, who has worked with the ANCA national, regional, and local
affiliates in support of justice for the Armenian Genocide, including
efforts to secure the return of stolen Christian churches and
properties from Turkey.

Very Rev. Fr. Thomas Garabedian of the Armenian Catholic Exarchate of
America later offered the evening’s benediction.

Among the dignitaries in attendance were Ambassador Garen Nazarian,
permanent representative of Armenia to the United Nations; ARF Bureau
member Hagop Der Khatchadourian; ANCA Chairman Ken Hachikian; Diocesan
Council Vice Chairman Dr. Raffy Hovanessian; Prelacy Executive Council
member Sarkis Ohanessian; Armenian Missionary Association of America
Executive Director Levon Filian; Armenia Fund USA Chairman Khoren
Bandazian; ARS Eastern Region Board members Suzy Azarian and Sevan
Kolejian; AYF Eastern Region Central Executive member Yervant
Kachichian; Hairenik Weekly Editor Zaven Torigian; Armenian Weekly
Assistant Editor Nanore Barsoumian, and many prominent community
benefactors.

The Armenian a cappella folk trio Zulal performed a variety of songs,
entertaining the crowd with their smooth voices and unique sound. They
journeyed back in time to historic Armenia and weaved a story through
their music, captivating attendees and providing a break in the
program.

Attendees also watched a seven-minute video of ANCA-ER highlights from
the past year, which was directed by ANCA activist Justin Kaladjian.

The night began with an elegant cocktail reception and silent auction
at 6:30 p.m. With more than 50 auction items, attendees were able to
bid on a variety of gifts, from cruise tickets to autographed sports
gear to authentic Armenian paintings.

Joining Shnorhokian in organizing the Eastern Region Banquet were
Nicole Alashaian, Taline Chalian, Sarine Adishian, Aram Afarian, Talin
Apkarian, Gassia Asadourian, Isabel Kubikian, Alice Movsesian, Tamar
Nahabedian, James Sahagian, Maral Sahagian, Talar Sarafian, and Meline
Toufayan. The silent auction committee was chaired by Bea Movsesian,
with help from Talin Daghlian, Maral Kaprielian, Lynn Mahlebjian, Lisa
Movsesian-Ramos, Mary Ohanessian, Silva Takvorian, and Stephanie
Torossian.

Alex & Ani creator Carolyn Rafaelian also made a special charm
necklace for Baroness Cox.

More than 100 banquet guests and ANCA activists from the New York and
New Jersey area enjoyed a casual evening of celebration on Nov. 30 at
48 Lounge in New York City, organized by Tamar Nahabedian.

Pictures from the ANCA Eastern Region Banquet, taken by Diran Jebejian
of Jebejian Images, are available on the ANCA Facebook page at

Video from the banquet will be posted to the ANCA YouTube page in the
upcoming days, and can be viewed at

From: A. Papazian

Negotiations Remain Hostage of Madrid Principles

Politics – Saturday, 08 December 2012, 13:56

The call of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs to follow the Helsinki
principles indicates that nothing new has been proposed to the
conflict sides, and the talks are still the hostage of the
controversial principles of Madrid, said the ex-foreign minister of
NKR Arman Melikyan in an interview with Lragir.am as he commented on
the joint statement of the OSCE foreign ministers on Karabakh in
Dublin. `Notably, the text contains a statement which has been
repeated often by the first Russian co-chair Vladimir Kazimirov. They
did not miss the opportunity to state that each of the sides of the
conflict wants to have maximum advantage and is not committed to a
mutually acceptable agreement. I should note that the current agenda
of the talks offered by the co-chairs which pushes the sides into a
deadlock does not provide the governments of Azerbaijan and Armenia
with other options,’ Arman Melikyan said. According to him, the status
quo stands for peace in the conflict area and the region. According to
Arman Melikyan, the co-chairs blame the conflict sides for the lack of
progress in the talks. `This means that they will address the blame
for possible resumption of war until we understand clearly that the
possibility of war without the approval and possible support of any of
the co-chairs is zero,’ Mr. Melikyan says.

From: A. Papazian